John 7:25-43

Can This Be the Christ?

25 Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, "Is not this the man whom x they seek to kill? 26 And here he is, y speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that z the authorities really know that this is the Christ? 27 But a we know b where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, c no one will know where he comes from." 28 So Jesus proclaimed, d as he taught in the temple, a "You know me, and you know where I come from? But e I have not come of my own accord. f He who sent me is true, g and him you do not know. 29 h I know him, for I come i from him, and j he sent me." 30 k So they were seeking to arrest him, but l no one laid a hand on him, m because his hour had not yet come. 31 Yet n many of the people believed in him. They said, o "When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?"

Officers Sent to Arrest Jesus

32 The Pharisees heard the crowd p muttering these things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent q officers to arrest him. 33 Jesus then said, r "I will be with you a little longer, and then s I am going to him who sent me. 34 t You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come." 35 The Jews said to one another, "Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? u Does he intend to go to v the Dispersion among w the Greeks and teach the Greeks? 36 What does he mean by saying, x 'You will seek me and you will not find me,' and, 'Where I am you cannot come'?"

Rivers of Living Water

37 y On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, z "If anyone thirsts, let him a come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, b as 1 the Scripture has said, c 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of d living water.'" 39 Now e this he said about the Spirit, f whom those who believed in him were to receive, g for as yet the Spirit had not been h given, i because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Division Among the People

40 When they heard these words, j some of the people said, "This really is k the Prophet." 41 Others said, "This is l the Christ." But some said, m "Is the Christ to come from Galilee? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes n from the offspring of David, and comes o from Bethlehem, the village p where David was?" 43 So there was q a division among the people over him.

  1. Cross References
    John 7:1
    After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him.
  2. Cross References
    John 18:20
    Jesus answered him, "I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret.
  3. Cross References
    John 7:48
    Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him?
  4. Cross References
    John 6:42
    They said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, 'I have come down from heaven' ?
    John 8:14
    Jesus answered, "Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.
    John 8:19
    They said to him therefore, "Where is your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.
    John 9:29
    We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.
  5. Cross References
    John 19:9
    He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus gave him no answer.
  6. Cross References
    John 7:42
    Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?
  7. Cross References
    John 7:14
    About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching.
  8. Cross References
    John 7:27
    But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.
  9. Cross References
    John 8:42
    Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.
    John 5:43
    I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him.
  10. Cross References
    John 8:26
    I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.
  11. Cross References
    John 8:19
    They said to him therefore, "Where is your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.
    John 15:21
    But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.
    John 4:22
    You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.
    John 8:55
    But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word.
  12. Cross References
    John 8:55
    But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word.
    Matthew 11:27
    All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
  13. Cross References
    John 6:46
    Not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father.
    John 9:16
    Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" And there was a division among them.
    John 9:33
    If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.
    John 1:14
    And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
  14. Cross References
    John 3:17
    For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
  15. Cross References
    John 7:44
    Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.
    John 10:39
    Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.
    Matthew 21:46
    And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet.
  16. Cross References
    John 8:20
    These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
  17. Cross References
    John 7:6
    Jesus said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always here.
  18. Cross References
    John 8:30
    As he was saying these things, many believed in...
    John 10:42
    And many believed in him there.
    John 11:45
    Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with M...
    John 12:11
    Because on account of him many of the Jews were...
    John 2:23
    Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Fe...
    John 12:42
    Nevertheless, many even of the authorities beli...
    Matthew 21:11
    And the crowds said, "This is the prophet Jesus...
  19. Cross References
    Matthew 12:23
    And all the people were amazed, and said, "Can this be the Son of David?
  20. Cross References
    John 7:12
    And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, "He is a good man," others said, "No, he is leading the people astray.
  21. Cross References
    John 7:45 - 46
    The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why did you not bring him?
  22. Cross References
    John 12:35
    So Jesus said to them, "The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.
    John 13:33
    Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, 'Where I am going you cannot come.
    John 14:19
    Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.
    John 16:16 - 19
    "A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me."
  23. Cross References
    John 16:5
    But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?
  24. Cross References
    John 8:21
    So he said to them again, "I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.
    John 13:33
    Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, 'Where I am going you cannot come.
  25. Cross References
    John 8:22
    So the Jews said, "Will he kill himself, since he says, 'Where I am going, you cannot come' ?
  26. Cross References
    James 1:1
    James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.
    1 Peter 1:1
    Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.
    Isaiah 11:12
    He will raise a signal for the nations and will assemble the banished of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
    Zephaniah 3:10
    From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers, the daughter of my dispersed ones, shall bring my offering.
  27. Cross References
    John 12:20
    Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks.
  28. Cross References
    John 7:34
    You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.
  29. Cross References
    Leviticus 23:36
    For seven days you shall present food offerings to the Lord. On the eighth day you shall hold a holy convocation and present a food offering to the Lord. It is a solemn assembly; you shall not do any ordinary work.
    Numbers 29:35
    On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly. You shall not do any ordinary work.
    Nehemiah 8:18
    And day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of God. They kept the feast seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the rule.
  30. Cross References
    Isaiah 55:1
    Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
    John 4:14
    But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.
  31. Cross References
    John 6:35
    Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
  32. Cross References
    Isaiah 12:3
    With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
    Ezekiel 47:1
    Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar.
  33. Cross References
    John 4:14
    But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.
    Proverbs 18:4
    The words of a man's mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
  34. Cross References
    John 4:10
    Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.
  35. Cross References
    Isaiah 44:3
    For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.
    1 Corinthians 12:13
    For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body - Jews or Greeks, slaves or free - and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
    Galatians 3:14
    So that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
  36. Cross References
    Joel 2:28
    And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.
    Acts 2:16 - 18
    But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:
    John 1:33
    I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.
    John 20:22
    And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
    Luke 24:49
    And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.
  37. Cross References
    Acts 2:4
    And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
    Acts 2:33
    Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.
  38. Cross References
    John 3:34
    For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.
    Luke 11:13
    If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!
  39. Cross References
    John 14:16 - 17
    And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever.
    John 16:7
    Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
  40. Cross References
    John 7:31
    Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, "When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?
  41. Cross References
    John 1:21
    And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, "No.
    John 6:14
    When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, "This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!
    Matthew 21:11
    And the crowds said, "This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.
  42. Cross References
    John 7:26
    And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ?
  43. Cross References
    John 7:52
    They replied, "Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.
    John 1:46
    Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see.
  44. Cross References
    Psalms 89:3 - 4
    You have said, "I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant:
    Matthew 1:1
    The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
  45. Cross References
    Micah 5:2
    But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
    Matthew 2:1
    Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem.
    Matthew 2:5
    They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:
    Luke 2:4
    And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David.
  46. Cross References
    1 Samuel 16:1
    The Lord said to Samuel, "How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.
  47. Cross References
    John 9:16
    Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" And there was a division among them.
    John 10:19
    There was again a division among the Jews because of these words.
    John 7:12
    And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, "He is a good man," others said, "No, he is leading the people astray.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.